Directional drilling device



2 SHEETS-51mm 1 J. P. CALDWELL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING DEVICE ll Q64 3 mm; JoeRCaldwe/I IN VEN TOR. m"-

Attorneys March 17, 1953- Filed Feb. 28. 1952 Patented Mar. 17,F 1953 AUNITED STATES Parleur oFF1cE- DIRECTIONAL DRILLING DEVICE Y .loe P. Caldwell, Tulsa., Okla.

Application February 28, 1952, Serial No. 273,930

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in drilling apparatus and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a drilling device so constructed as to permit vertically and 4circumferentially spaced horizontal holes to be drilled from a main vertical hole in which the drilling device is disposed,

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a drilling apparatus consisting of a horizontally extensible drilling member correlated with a gyroscope, whereby the direction of horizontal branch holes from a main vertical 'hole may be readily and conveniently predetermined.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a drilling device including a pair of power driven flexible and tubular shafts disposed one Within the other and a fluid impeller connected to the inner shaft to remove well drillings from concentric drill bits attached to the shafts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a directional drilling device including a perforated basket member adapted to rest against the bottom of a vertical hole and which is connected by hydraulically actuated means to a casing that rotatably supports a exible drilling member that is extendable through an arcuate opening in a guide attached to the basket member as the casing is lowered relative to the basket member.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a drilling device of the aforementioned character that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, efficient and durable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture,-

service and operate, and otherwise well adapted 'for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operations as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming -View taken substantially on the plane of section line 4 -4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional 7 Claims. (Cl. 255-1.6)

- member. -pneumatically actuated jacks 32 each of which view taken substantially on the plane vof section line 5--5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section'line 'I-T of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail sectional View showing the drilling member and its inner and outer flexible tubular shafts and the drill bits carried thereby; and,

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic View showing the drill guide extending means and its actuator.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral I0 represents an elongated casing composed of upper and lower sections I2 and I4 that are connected together by a coupling I6, more specifically described in my copending application Serial No. 258,128, iiled November 16, 1951.

A perforated basket member I8 is disposed below the casing I!! and has a guide 2U removably secured within its upper portion. The guide 20 is provided with an arcuate opening 22 including a vertical entrance 22a anda horizontal exit 22h. The exit 22h faces an opening 24 in the peripheral wall of the basket member I8. Bearing or antifriction elements 2S are retained in the opening 25 by an internal shoulder 28 adjacent the exit and a retaining plate at the entrance.

Means is provided for connecting the basket member I=8 to the casing l and for adjusting the casing I0 longitudinally relative to the basket This means consists of a pluralityfof includes an upper tubular member 34 and a lower piston rod 36 having a piston 38 at its upper end that is workable within the member 34. The lower ends of the rods are suitably fixed to the guide and the members 34 are held on the outer periphery of the casing by brackets 40.

An electric motor 42 is held within the upper casing section I2 by a suitable mounting bracket attached to the inner periphery of section I2 and overlies a fluid impeller or pump'44 supported on a bracket 4E withinv the section I2. The impeller blade 48 is operatively connected to the armature shaft of motor 42 to be driven thereby. The pump 44 includes outlets that are connected by conduits to the upper ends of the inlet that extends outwardly through the cas- 3 ing section I2 to receive fluid in the hole into which the device is placed.

Check valves 52 are in the conduits 54, between the outlets of the pump and the upper ends of the members 34. Relief valves 56 are incorporated in the upper ends of the members 34 to permit the relief of fluid pressure in the jacks 32, whereby the casing I may move vertically Idownward toward the basket member I8 and guide 20. Y

A drilling member 58 is rctatablysupported by the casing I0 and includes inner and outer ilexible tubular shafts 60 and 62. The lower endof shaft 62 carries a hollow dia-mond tootheddrill bit 64 in which a second diamond toothed drill bit 66, attached to the lower end offshaftf-'Gl-is rotatable. A bearing 68 is held inthe bit54about the bit 66 to permit relative rotation between the drill bits without undue friction.

The lower end of the-section I2 rotatably suppo'rts'a'sleeve member or cylinder I0 through the medium of a bearing unit 12. The unit 'I2 'is *formed with a central opening that accommo- :dates the depending hollow armature shaft 'I4 of an electric motor 'I6 that is suitably mounted `with section I2. The lowerend of shaft 'I4 supportsfa gear 18 that Vmeshes with 'a pinion 80 on a bracket 82 journaled on the upper end of the attaching flange 83 of the shaft 52. Anin- Sternallytoothed ringfgear 84 is secured `to the inner fperipheryof 'the sleeve member 710 and meshes with the pinion 88.

The upper'end of shaft 60 is coupled to the lower'end of shaft 'I4 so that the primary shaft 60 -will'rotate iwith the shaft 'I4 and in a similar direction as shaft 14. 'Since the member Ill is connected tothe flange 83 of shaft'62 and to the gear'18'by'the pinion 88f-and-ring-gear 34,'shaft 62'willrotate opposite relative to'shaft 60.

fA'second -pump or uid impellerf86 is suitably Ymounted in'the casing section I4 and its im- .p'eller blade 88 is connected to the tubular upper portion 90 of shaft 14. Pump 86 is provided with v'-anoutl'et 92 that is coupled to the upper end of portion 90 -and pump 86 is also Aprovided with an .inlet 94 that extends outwardly Vthrough the section I4 to receive the uid from the hole into which vthecasing is lowered.

-A gyroscopeSG is supported by a bracket 98 secured within the upper casing section I2 and the gyroscope is correlated with the opening 22 to. indicate the direction of .the opening 'andmore particularly the exit28.

Tlfe 'upper :and lower Kangulated 'ends 106 fand I.02:of"aplurality cfcircumferentially spaced vertical centering tubes 1 I 04,` are slidably over upper an'dlowerfhorizontal lugs liand |08 on'thecasing Ysections `I2 iand I'4. Spring means, as disclosed in my aforementioned pending applicaltion, urge the tubes |64 laterally Voutvvardlyfrom the casing.

"The electric wires from the motor 'I6 extend upwardlyth'rough the hollow central portionof coupling Islandioutwardly from vthe casing to Aa fsuitable f'remote switchza'nd vthe wires for motor "42'al`so extend to a switch remotefrom thecasing.

In practical use Moi the 'present invention, ithe `gyroscope 'is first iset :for the desired `direction andwtliefdevice loweredi'nto a verticalfho-le until Vv.the .basket member I8 seats against fthe Ybottom of :the hole. The electric finotor I 6 is then startf-ed to *commence drilling operations.

I-Pump r65 will Vtake in fluid `through its vintake rand "will fforce 'the fluid downwardly y-through shaft-60 @and fri-rom bit 86, which lwill @wash `lthe #the casing 0 descends 'duet'ofit's 'weight and the exhaust of luid'*press'ure`in lthe jack'sfrom the valves 56. During downwardly movement of the :casing I0, which is gradual, the shafts 60 and 62 will extend outwardly from opening 24 to permit drilling of a horizontal hole HI.

.I'Afterfthe hole or holes HI have been drilled, themotor -42 is `started which will force fluid into the membersi34'p'ast the check valves 52 and the casing -IU will again be extended vertically upwardly from the basket member I8. As the casingI-israised, the shafts '60 and 62 will be-retracted and the bits again'positioned in the recess R. The Aentire apparatus is thenpulled -upwardly from the hole H by any suitable lift means.

l'Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. -A drilling apparatus comprising an elongated casing including upper and lower interconnected'sections, a basket-member below the casing and slidably adjustably secured to the casing, a guide Vattached tothe basket-member and havling an arcuate opening,-inner and outer ilexible power driven shafts rotatably supported by the 'casing and extending through the opening inthe guide, concentric-drill bitssecured to the shafts and extendable Vfrom the basket member yand YVguide upon movement of the #casing toward the basket member.

2. The combination of claim 'l anda power means in the casing,-and'means operatively connecting said power means to the shafts for rotating the shafts inrelativelyoppositedirections.

3. A drilling apparatus rcomprising -a basket member adapted'to rest against the bottom of fa hol'e,fa guide-attachedfto the basket member and having an Aarcuate opening therein with a hori- Zontal exit, a vertical casing, means connecting the casing to the guide for moving the casing vertically toward and away from the guide, -a power driven drilling member carried by the casing, :said drilling member including linner and outer concentric flexible tubular lshafts extending through the opening 'and concentric drilling bits-movable outwardly-from the guide,` andlpow- .er means. in .the casing -fand .operatively connectfedto theshafts for rotating `the latter in relatively opposite directions.

l4. 'The combination of 'claim 3 vand anti-fric- ;tion means in the'opening 'and slidably receiving the tubular shafts.

basing .including l,.pneumatically actuated V:jack

means and a pump in the casing and operatively connected to the jack means.

6. A drilling apparatus comprising a basket member adapted to rest against the bottom of a hole, a guide attached to the basket member and having an arcuate opening therein with a horizontal exit, a vertical casing, means connecting the casing to the guide for moving the casing vertically toward and away from the guide, and a power driven drilling member carried by the casing and slidably received in the opening, said drilling member being extended outwardly from the opening -to drill a horizontal hole as the casing is moved toward the guide and the basket member, said means connecting the guide to the casing including pneumatically actuated jack means and a pump in the casing and operatively connested to the jack means, check valves in fthe jack means and relief Valves also in the jack means, said relief valves permitting relief of iiuid pressure in the jack means, whereby the casing may lower itself toward the guide due to the weight of lthe casing.

'7. A drilling apparatus comprising a guide holding member adapted to rest against the bottom of a hole, a guide carried by said member and having an arcuate opening therein with a horizontal exit, a vertical casing, means connecting the casing to the guide for moving the casing vertically toward and away from the guide, a power driven drilling member carried by the casing and including inner and outer concentric flexible shafts extending through the opening and concentric drilling bits movable outwardly from the guide, and power means operatively connected to the shafts for rotating the latter .in relatively opposite directions.

JOE P. CALDWELL.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Arutinoff Jan. 23, 1951 Number 

